


I didn't mean it

by Fuinixe



Series: Febuwhump 2021 [14]
Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Andy & Joe make up, Gallows Humor, Gen, Implied/Referenced Suicidal Thoughts, Light Angst, M/M, POV Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani, Slice of Life, Suicidal Booker | Sebastien le Livre
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-17 06:48:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29467518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fuinixe/pseuds/Fuinixe
Summary: Joseph and Andrea make up after a fight.
Relationships: Andy | Andromache of Scythia & Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani, Andy | Andromache of Scythia & Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani & Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Series: Febuwhump 2021 [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2143242
Comments: 1
Kudos: 43
Collections: febuwhump 2021





	I didn't mean it

**Author's Note:**

> Should be read as a direct sequel to [this ficlet from Day 11](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29370525).

They didn’t see Andrea’s face for three and a half days after she’d made her late night departure. Joseph had a suspicion that it would have been much, much longer, if she hadn’t been so worried about Sebastien (which, really, was yet more evidence that he’d been unjust towards her that night, not that he needed any more proof). He’d been out accompanying Sebastien, paying their bills with the undertaker and the gravedigger, and when they returned home, he could hear her in conversation with Nicholas at the back of the house. Sebastien headed upstairs, probably to lie down and stare unseeingly at the ceiling for several hours. 

Joseph poked his head into the kitchen. Nicholas was kneading bread, and Andrea slicing onions. Nicholas glanced up and elbowed Andrea. She turned around and stared at Joseph. Her face was tense, but not angry. She looked, mostly, resigned. 

“Should I stay?” Nicholas asked, plainly. 

Joseph studied Andrea, but she gave no sign of her preference.

“I don’t think that will be necessary,” Joseph answered, subdued. “Could you sit with Booker for a bit, my love?” 

Nicholas nodded and dusted off his hands, then hung his apron on a hook by their stove. He gave Joseph’s wrist a little reassuring squeeze as he passed him in the doorway.

Andrea had turned back around and resumed chopping. Joseph wet his lips and stepped closer. He’d thought much about what he wanted to say.

“I owe you an apology, Andrea, not just as my boss, but as my dear friend,” Joseph started. “My grief for Sebastien overshadowed my good sense, and I lashed out at you. I should not have. I didn’t mean it.” He took a deep breath and released it slowly. “I know you are always and at all times doing your absolute best by us. My words were unjust. Please forgive me.”

Andrea paused in her chopping. Her shoulders looked tense from behind. “You weren’t entirely wrong, Joseph,” she said. “I’m...I am, in a sense, responsible for all of you. Maybe I should have argued harder with Booker. Maybe I could have stopped this from happening.”

“Andrea, no.” Joseph rounded the island and came to stand beside her, angling his head so he could look at her face. He very much wanted to hug her right now, but he didn’t think she was in the mood. “You didn’t know it would happen like this.” Joseph chewed on his lip pensively. “We’ve met mortals that were understanding of our condition. I don’t think you should put this on your shoulders, truly.” He leaned over the counter more and successfully caught her eyes. “You already have the weight of the world on them. Please do not let me add to it. I am just your foolish, naive little brother, who knows nothing compared to your immense wisdom.” 

“Is that right?” Andrea asked, a ghost of a smirk passing over her face, and Joseph’s heart lightened somewhat. “In that case, I’m sick of chopping vegetables, little brother.” She set the knife on the cutting board and slid it over to him. “It’s your chore now.” Her smile was feeble, but it was present. 

“As you wish,” he said, loftily, and gave her a small bow. He picked up the knife and looked around for signs of what they were making. “How did Nicholas want these?” 

“Long and thin, he said. He’s making focaccia.” The atmosphere in the room had changed, and Joseph knew he was forgiven.

“Oh, excellent. Perhaps Sebastien will take one bite and change his mind about wanting to die,” Joseph joked, darkly.

“But then Nicholas might stop his baking frenzy,” Andrea pointed out.

“We can’t have that.” 

“Definitely not,” said Andrea.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” asked Joseph.

Andrea nodded. “No matter how happy this focaccia makes Sebastien, we must convince him to continue to act as despondent as possible, so that Nicholas keeps baking for us.”

“A wonderful plan,” remarked Joseph. “I foresee no ways this could go wrong nor any moral downsides whatsoever.”

“No moral downsides to what?” Nicholas asked, suspiciously, reentering the kitchen.

“Nothing,” Joseph and Andrea said, in unison, and smiled at each other.


End file.
